Promise
by whiterose03
Summary: ONE-SHOT Chihiro still remembers the promise Haku made to her about them meeting again. But can Haku keep that promise or will he be too late?


A/N: Hey there, this is whiterose! dodges flying fruits and huge spiders I'm SORRY! I know I haven't been writing in the past 4 months, but as u know I enterered university and had a really crappy schedule. But now the new semester is here and my schedule has time for me to write, so be ready for update soon. Actually I'm half-way down with the next chapter for ROTLS. So please Wait!!!!!!

Well, this one-shot was written by my beta reader, so enjoy!

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**Promise  
**_By: Starry Nights_

"_Will we see each other again?"_

_"Yes, I'll come find you once I had a long talk with Yubaba."_

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She almost regretted not looking back that day. If she had, would things be a lot different? Would her life change and take a drastic turn that would make it totally different than what it was now? Would she be happier? _Haku… what took you so long?_

After getting back from the spirit world, she busied herself with moving into a new house, adapting to a new environment and lifestyle, and making new friends at a new school. Having gone through the ordeal at the other side, she had confidence that she would be able to face and handle any challenges to come. She knew that with persistence, she would pull through the difficulties in any situation.

Time passed by in the blink of an eye. She entered junior high. Reaching her teens meant taking an interest in the opposite sex. She enjoyed joking around with her friends and gossiping about guys. She was aware of the appeals and attractions that a selected few had on her, but her attention on them never lingered long enough for any possible feelings to bud and blossom, for in the back of her mind, the image of that figure clad in white and blue remained as clear as daylight. She still had not forgotten his promise.

Entering high school brought about a mixture of chaotic emotions. She suddenly became very self-conscious as she took another step forward in life. The memories of that other place dimmed and she began having doubts. Had it all been a dream? A childhood fantasy? Could it be possible that no such place, events, or people existed? Perhaps the belief that she had been holding onto was nothing but an illusion. For five years, she had waited for Haku to come to see her. For five years, there had been no sign of Haku. Maybe, maybe it was time for her to let go and move on with her life. Deep within her heart, she already knew that even if Haku did come, nothing would come of it. They were from completely different worlds and… and it wasn't in their hands to cross the bridge that separated them. She really should let loose that sliver of hope that she desperately held onto for the past few years. She really should. The question was, "Could she?"

"I'm sorry, Haku. I'm really really sorry." The night before her first date, she held the magenta-coloured hair band – the only tie she had with the other world – that Zeniba and the others wove for her tightly close to her chest, as if wishing to become one with it. After this night, she would forget about the other world, the bathhouse, the spirits, her friends there, and most importantly, she would forget about the person that meant the most to her in this entire world, Haku.

Reality did not allow one to standby idly, waiting and reminiscing the past. The stream moved forward and she had to move along with it.

Men came and went in her life as she grew and matured. They never stayed long, nor did they leave a mark in the inner pool of her heart. Rather, they were like droplets falling into a pond; light ripples that eventually died and faded away. Maybe she just had bad luck with men. Maybe she had still yet to find the right guy. Or maybe, she still dreamed about that pair of olive green eyes.

As she lay there, she wondered. Could it be possible that one man, no, not even a man, a mere spirit in a boy's form from her distant past affect her entire life so much? How was it that it took her so much effort to lock away all the memories of him? She wanted to see him. She just wanted to see him again; the one who gave her light when she lost all hope back then; the one who comforted her when she was scared and lonely and just wanted to hide and cry for all eternity; the one who put on a cool, placid mask in front of others but showed that soft, gentle smile to her and to her only when they were alone. She owed her entire life to him.

Tears slid down her cheek. The urge to see him that she suppressed and pushed to the very corner of her mind for all those years resurfaced again and hit her with full force. Things and emotions that she thought she had let go long ago were in fact only hidden dormant within her.

_Once you met someone, you never really forget him._

If that day her dad hadn't taken the wrong turn, she wouldn't have met him. Her life would have been totally different. Perhaps she would lead an average life, marry an average man, and have a kid or two. She would die of old age, hopefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren, if she were lucky. If only she hadn't met him.

"But I don't regret it," she whispered.

Pools of blood formed beneath and around her. Blood continued to ooze out of her body and seep through her clothes, staining everything it touched. Noises of people talking, screaming, and running grew faint as she lay there, feeling her life force flowing out of her body by the seconds. She knew she was dying. She should blame and hate the drunken driver who prematurely shortened her lifespan, but right now, she didn't care.

She had just realized how foolish she was. She spent all these time convincing herself that she could live on denying her innermost desires and pretending that she could have a normal life just like everybody else when what she really wanted to do was reverting back to the old her that could be satisfied with the simple, pure belief that she'd see Haku again one day.

She had lied to herself for too long. At least, for the short moment before her death, she would allow herself the freedom to think of nothing else but him.

How she longed. How she longed to sit by him on the grass under the sunny sky with the occasional light breeze and cricket chirping. How she longed for him to hold her hand once more. She missed the cool, yet soothing touch of his.

The images of people became distorted. Her vision was starting to blur. She tried with difficulty to raise her left hand. Did Haku know that she was torn when he had to let go of her hand that day? She was so tempted to turn back and just grab onto that hand for all eternity, not giving a care about her family and the human world where she supposedly belonged.

"Haku…" She reached out. In her mind's eye, that moment was replaying in front of her. This time, she would make sure that he didn't let go of her, to save herself from the lifelong of waiting.

Her hand was met with a pair of larger hands that clasped it gently. They were slightly cool, but soothing and somehow, familiar.

"Chihiro," a pair of olive green eyes came into her blurred vision. She squinted to make out the features of the face that this pair of eyes belonged to. No, she didn't need to do that. Just by the way these eyes looked at her, she knew.

"Haku, what took you so long?" Her expression blossomed into a genuine smile. He came for her, after all. "Thought you forgot about me."

"No, Chihiro. You know I would never forget you, even if I forget my own name." Haku lightly pressed his lips to her hand. His heart was breaking into countless pieces inside. He was a step too late.

"Neither would I." She whispered. Her eyelids were so heavy that they were starting to droop. She just couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. "I'm so glad…. I finally got to see you…Haku"

Chihiro's hand went limp and slid down from Haku's grasp. He bit his lips hard enough that traces of blood were showing. Just when he was finally able to make it to the human world, she was gone, out of his reach.

"I'll see you again, Chihiro." He lightly brushed the blood clotted bangs away from her peaceful smiling face. Even covered in blood, she still seemed like an angel to him; an angel that had stopped breathing.

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Rain slid down from Haku's hair as he stood before Chihiro's grave. As if trying to imprint it into his own heart, his finger traced over the name carved in the stone over and over again.

"Chihiro…" Droplets of water slid down his cheeks and hit the ground. No one could tell if those were raindrops or Haku's tears. "This time, I'll be the one waiting for you." He promised.

River spirits were immortal beings. Even if he lost all his magic in order to come to the human world, he was still immortal. He kept Chihiro waiting all her life. Now it was his turn to wait; to wait for Chihiro's spirit to reincarnate.

He didn't know how long it would take for her to be reborn again, but he would keep his promise and wait. He was willing to wait hundreds of years if that was what it took. For her, he would wait.

It was a promise.

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A/N: sniff sniff That's so sweet! Isn't it guys! Review it if u like and u never know, Starry Night might add another one-shot to complete it! 

READ & REVIEW!

Ja ne!


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